Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an empirically-supported 8-week psycho-educational group intervention that teaches mindfulness meditation as a health intervention. Created by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979, MBSR offers participants the possibility to develop a different relationship to stress resulting from chronic physical and psychological illnesses. Research outcomes have demonstrated positive improvements in physical and psychological symptoms, as well as changes in health attitudes and behaviors. This 6-day teacher training intensive will provide health care professionals and educators the opportunity to study and experience the foundational underpinnings, mindfulness meditations and specific exercises that are the framework of the MBSR program. The themes, rationales, intention and practice skills of each MBSR class session will be reviewed, discussed and practiced. Participant screening guidelines will be covered, and samples of client handouts will be provided. There will also be time set aside for personal mindfulness practice.
Training
This 6-day teacher training intensive is highly interactive. In the first part of the training, trainees will experience the MBSR program. In the second half of the training, trainees will be given the opportunity to practice teaching various components of the MBSR program under the supervision and guidance of the teachers. Inherent in this teacher training is the necessity of a personal mindfulness practice as a platform from which to teach. The delivery of MBSR requires the teacher to teach from a personal integration of what it means to embody a non-judgmental present moment focus with an understanding of how this supports and strengthens such mind states as kindness, compassion and equanimity. This training will provide the opportunity to strengthen these teacher competences.
